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27
Alice
The crackling of the fire is the only sound, not even the crickets sing in the silence. The pyre stands tall, towering against the guard surrounding it as flames lick the air and the smell of molten flesh and ashen wood burns my nose.
A gentle breeze blows as the dead are disintegrated before me, lifting my curls and whipping the flags we’ve yet to remove from the castle walls. Sparks and embers take flight, swirling up into the air from the flickering flames like a party favor, but I don’t think anyone quite feels like celebrating.
“This is the last of them, Your Grace,” one of the guards yells to me, dumping three bodies off a cart and tossing them into the pile. They were our enemy, and though I’d have at least laid them out and gave them a peaceful ending, their own people don’t share the same sentiment. They just heaped them into a mountain and set it ablaze, belittling them into nothing more than ash and memories.
Another guard stops to my right, standing tall and proud. “My queen, the King of Hell has requested to see you inside.”
With one last glance at the pyre, I nod and make my way toward the front of the castle, rising up the steps and entering the foyer. Kai and Finn are waiting inside, immersed in some sort of heated conversation.
“You came,” Kai says, catching sight of me.
“You called. The pyre is burning and everyone has been added to it. Is everything okay?” My gaze jostles between the two men, but neither of them rush to speak.
After a moment of holding his breath, Kai finally exhales heavily and answers. “Everything will be fine, however, Asmo got the noblemen to gather in the meeting hall and they’ve been arguing nonstop.”
“Eva and her sisters have been working to get the castle and the staff back in order, but it’s time we officially put together a court and tell them about Michael,” Finn adds, crossing his arms over his chest and flexing his slightly bigger than yesterday hands.
“I see, well if that’s what you believe we should do, then we will.” I speak to no one in particular, but I can feel Kai’s gaze tingling over my flesh.
“Also, Hell Hold is busy getting ready for the wedding. They’re putting everything together as we speak and tonight, you’ll be able to pick out the specifics,” Kai steps forward, placing a kiss on my head. “In the meantime, let’s get you dressed formally and we’ll both go to this meeting, okay?” Before I can answer, he’s off, heading down one of the wings after the group of guards that just entered behind me.
“Just you and me, I guess.” Finn holds out his elbow and I take it. “When were you going to tell me you officially called the wedding back on?”
“Seeing as it just happened last night, I haven’t had a chance,” I say, tipping my head as he leads me down the hall.
“Eva’s sisters live down here and they have an empty bedroom they thought you’d like until we can get the rest of the castle cleaned up. She offered some of her dresses for you to choose from.”
We stop near a large arched wooden door, and he quickly opens it to reveal a large bedroom. The ceilings are high and beveled. The bed is a canopy, made of rounded dragon wing bones, but otherwise it’s actually what I’d expect to see in a castle. The walls are plastered with a bright cream colored paint, and golden embroidered linens grace the linens on the bed. A small ensuite bathroom is to our right and dresses Finn mentioned hang from a rolling rack in the middle of the room.
Stepping deeper into the room, I finger the frilly lace on the medieval ball gowns. “These belonged to Eva? I was starting to think the girl despised clothes, seeing as she’s either been in nothing, or one of your shirts since I met her.”
“She’s the only ‘shifter’ out of her family, and that alone comes with being overly comfortable in her skin. The rest of her sisters have special gifts–powers if you will–but are otherwise mortals.”
Sliding the hangers across the rack, I look at each dress, each a different shade of pink or yellow, and the thought of looking like I just rolled out of a bubble gum machine sends unease twirling through my stomach.
“Mortals? Did they not—” Finn cuts me off, picking one of the dresses off the cart.
“No. Let’s not remind me. The king wasn’t born immortal. His gift allowed him to copy abilities from others, such as immortality. None of his daughters are born immortal. So far, Kai’s mother was the only one who died and came back, so the odds for Eva being so are not high.” He thrusts the dress out, holding it up next to my body. “This one will look nice, don’t you think?”
“It’s Barbie pink,” I do my best to keep the growl out of my voice, but some of my hatred for the color must’ve leached through.
“I’m not sure what a Barbie is, but what’s wrong with pink?”
“There’s a lot of things wrong with pink… Can I alter it? Just the color. I can turn it back if Eva would prefer.”
His head dips once. “I’m sure that will be fine.” Finn takes the hanger from my hand, replacing it with Kai’s mother’s crown. Somehow, he must’ve snuck it over here, and I’m not the least bit surprised. “It’s either this one, or you alter the kings, but either way, there needs to be a crown on top of your head.”
I stare at the golden ring, slivers of gold make up the intricate arches that circle the main band, housing small diamond like gems. Only, instead of being clear like a normal diamond, they’re almost smokey, like quartz, but more translucent. The woman who wore this shoved Asmo into a prison world. Though I understand her reasoning, I can’t help but believe there was another way. Asmo might be surly, but he did help me kill the king and for that, I owe it to him not to remind him of his twisted past.
“I don’tdocrowns. They’re tacky, and a symbol of everything I am not. I’m not graceful, I’m not poised and perfect, or well mannered. I plan to be as I am. A queen, yes, but not one that pretends to be something I’m not. They’re monsters… If they can’t love me for who I am, I’m afraid no one will.”
“I’ll let Kai take this fight,” Finn says, flashing his dimples at me. “I’m not sure I have the hands for it.”
My lips split into a grin as I glance to where his wrists end. “Probably a good call.”
